Once common cars that you don't see anymore

[cormac81]

Without trying to be funny, is there a reason for this? The Cavalier was actually Northern Ireland's most stolen car at a time and I've always wondered why.

Easily stole and where some what desirable particularly the sportier ones. My uncle had 4 vauxhalls , 3 cavs and one belmont, stole one after and another in the early 90s.

 

[Dan.86]

My parents had a sky blue SRI 16v (I think) bought off my uncle who had it as a company car. When my grandad died in 96 my gran (mums side) gave it to her recently divorced nephews ex wife (yes really). My dad was away with work at the time which was quite often and came home to the replacement which was my late grandads 95 Carina E 1.6 automatic . Went down well

 

[Paul.]

Easily stole and where some what desirable particularly the sportier ones. My uncle had 4 vauxhalls , 3 cavs and one belmont, stole one after and another in the early 90s.

Your uncle had four cars stolen!? He must have had the patience of a saint to wake up to that repeatedly without going John Wick or buying something like a Lada Riva. I enjoy the old ads for the Mk3 Cavalier, where it was marketed as being super secure. Clearly the thieves knew something Vauxhall didn't.

It always amuses me that the Belmont is sort of infamous for being the UK's most stolen car, once upon a time. The only problem with the story is that it's proportionately rather than numerically. By pure numbers Astras were nicked far more often, but by putting a new name on the Belmont the figures couldn't disappear into a grander whole. Hardly a surprise the Belmont name was put to bed after one generation!

 

[mikey]

Without trying to be funny, is there a reason for this? The Cavalier was actually Northern Ireland's most stolen car at a time and I've always wondered why.

My Granda had his Cavalier Expression in a fetching maroon stolen from his yard back in the mid 90s. Uncle had a couple of E34s stolen from the same yard a few years later. Bar clipping the ignition switches back in and screwing the column shrouds back on there was no real visible damage on any car bar a few marks on the steering wheel. Never even bothered replacing the bust steering locks.

The Joyriders in Lurgan are a different class and know how to treat a car.

This ‘pig tail tie’ from scaffolding was found in one of the E34s and we are assuming was used to break the steering locks. Police never bothered lifting it as evidence lol.

 

[Paul.]

My Granda had his Cavalier Expression in a fetching maroon stolen from his yard back in the mid 90s. Uncle had a couple of E34s stolen from the same yard a few years later. Bar clipping the ignition switches back in and screwing the column shrouds back on there was no real visible damage on any car bar a few marks on the steering wheel. Never even bothered replacing the bust steering locks.

The Joyriders in Lurgan are a different class and know how to treat a car.

This ‘pig tail tie’ from scaffolding was found in one of the E34s and we are assuming was used to break the steering locks. Police never bothered lifting it as evidence lol.

View attachment 367548View attachment 367549

This isn't just joyriding, this is M&S joyriding. If the same boys could put their creativity to more legal uses we'd be building cities on Mars.

 

[carmad.]

i am not or have ever been a car thief tho i am a big vauxhall nut and would be familiar with them

but i can get in to and start any astra nova cav or calibra off that age with no damage to door locks or steering column's even chipped key ones

so back in the day the wee scum bags must off had a field day with not worrying about damage to them and going out for the night

 

[Coog]

We got a mates Nova opened and started using my locker key from school. Then buried it in the hedge down the bottom of his field

 

[mikey]

i am not or have ever been a car thief tho i am a big vauxhall nut and would be familiar with them

but i can get in to and start any astra nova cav or calibra off that age with no damage to door locks or steering column's even chipped key ones

so back in the day the wee scum bags must off had a field day with not worrying about damage to them and going out for the night

Send 12v up the reversing light switch wiring on Cavaliers to get the ignition on, hit the bottom of the A pillar a thump with a sledge from underneath to pop the central locking and the worlds your oyster. No first hand experience but according to an older AA guy who was training me in England with wiring/electronics that’s how they did lock outs back in the day on them

 

[vtec1]

 

[Pumesta]

Send 12v up the reversing light switch wiring on Cavaliers to get the ignition on, hit the bottom of the A pillar a thump with a sledge from underneath to pop the central locking and the worlds your oyster. No first hand experience but according to an older AA guy who was training me in England with wiring/electronics that’s how they did lock outs back in the day on them

Facelift Nova's plug the hazard switch in upside down and the ignition came on

 

[svensktoppen]

Facelift Nova's plug the hazard switch in upside down and the ignition came on

Clarkson demonstrated that on TG on a car Hammond had bought. Was never sure if it was for real or just a TV stunt

 

[Xenomorph]

Saw this beauty today

 

[alexf557]

Send 12v up the reversing light switch wiring on Cavaliers to get the ignition on, hit the bottom of the A pillar a thump with a sledge from underneath to pop the central locking and the worlds your oyster. No first hand experience but according to an older AA guy who was training me in England with wiring/electronics that’s how they did lock outs back in the day on them

be even handier done with a 7 pin socket on it you reckon?

 

[Xenomorph]

Another beauty today

 

[Kyle88]

 

[gary1365]

View attachment 367758

I saw those 2 along with a z3 coming out of Coleraine the other day.

 

[vtec1]

 

[bora-gav]

Just finished valeting this beauty for a wedding tomorrow

 

[Coog]

View attachment 367785

71 plate too. Someone was actually mental enough to buy one! That’s awesome.

@Nicky will appreciate that.

 

[Gambit]

View attachment 367785

Seen that last week and nearly turned back to go get a pic of it looked class

 

[vtec1]

71 plate too. Someone was actually mental enough to buy one! That’s awesome.

@Nicky will appreciate that.

Noticed that after I posted it. How's it managed to be a 71 plate

 

[cauld1]

Noticed that after I posted it. How's it managed to be a 71 plate

You can still get them new. LHD only but still a newly made vehicle.

 

[salster]

back to the cavaliers of the time, the one thing Vauxhall got right was the clutch. my quickest clutch change time was 11 minutes from start to finish. i say bring that clutch-type back.

 

[carmad.]

back to the cavaliers of the time, the one thing Vauxhall got right was the clutch. my quickest clutch change time was 11 minutes from start to finish. i say bring that clutch-type back.

gte astras where the same

 

[ger16v]

gte astras where the same

My first hot hatch was a mk1 astra gte (EXI 4860) - loved its driving position felt as you were sitting on the road but rusted like hell though